The present invention relates to an ocular turret system for attachment to a conventional reflecting or refracting telescope.
In order to achieve maximum usage and flexibility with an ordinary reflecting or refracting telescope, it is common to provide a plurality of accessory attachments which are used to modify the optical characteristics of the basic telescope. Typically these attachments include a plurality of filters which enable the telescope to be used in different lighting conditions, such as solar, lunar, or star observations, an eyepiece focusing mount which permits the eyepiece to be adjusted for optimum resolution for a particular viewer, a selectable magnification level and an aperture adjustment control which allows the aperture of an eyepiece to be enlarged or reduced. It is also common to provide further mounts which allow for the attachment of camera bodies or specialized eyepieces to the telescope.
The provision of multiple accessories such as these, while permitting a telescope user to achieve great flexibility, are also very unwieldy to transport and set up. In addition, the provision of so many different individual accessories greatly increases the chances of damage or loss of individual parts. Furthermore, once a telescope barrel is properly oriented to present the desired field of view, it is difficult if not impossible to make accessory changes, such as changing eyepieces and adding filters or magnifying lenses, without jarring the telescope barrel and upsetting the angle of orientation. Previous attempts to provide an eyepiece with an adjustable aperture have resulted in complex mechanisms which close and open an adjustable ring similar to the aperture control on a camera. This tends to increase the weight, complexity and cost of the telescope eyepiece. Prior attempts to provide plural optical viewing paths for auxiliary eyepiece or camera mounts via a mirror or other optical light director have required the telescope viewer to physically reorient the mirror or other optical light director when the auxiliary eyepiece or camera is attached or removed.
It is clear then, that a need exists for a single telescope accessory which provides precise focusing, readily changeable filters and/or magnification mounts, adjustable eyepiece apertures, and which provides for the attachment of cameras or other specialized eyepieces without requiring the user to reposition a mirror or other optical light director. It is also clear that such an accessory should be mechanically simple and should be capable of manufacture by readily available mass production techniques.